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The text that had Curtis Steele’s smartphone buzzing late last Friday night was succinct.

“It’s your time to carry the load,” the short message said.

The sender was Chad Kackert, the Argonauts’ No. 1 running back. Kackert had just suffered a right knee injury in the Argos’ road victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and had an idea it would keep him out off the roster for a considerable amount of time.

That was confirmed this week when the Argos placed Kackert on the one-game injured list, though head coach Scott Milanovich said that the injury could keep him on the sidelines for up to six weeks.

“It felt really good, man,” Steele, who didn’t make the trip to Winnipeg, said of Kackert’s text.

“Sometimes, in an organization, you don’t have that relationship between running backs, a good friendship. But Kack, since Day 1 when I got here, has been a really good guy toward me. He has given me a lot of tips and pointers.

“We hang out. I respect him and it meant a lot coming from him.”

Milanovich has tabbed Steele — who spoke to the Toronto Sun on Wednesday by telephone as the Argos had one final day off before starting to prepare for next Tuesday’s home game against the B.C. Lions — as Kackert’s replacement for the time being.

“(Kackert) was able to just play and not have to think,” Milanovich said. “That’s what Curtis is going to have to go through as a rookie playing in his first CFL game.

“We have to do a good job as coaches to give him a chance to be successful and make sure he is really well-versed on his protections so he can go out there and kind of react and not have to think too much.”

That’s in Steele’s plan, as well. It has been a long time since the 26-year-old native of Franklin, Tenn., has played in a game that had any meaning. After finishing college at Memphis in 2009, Steele spent 2010 on the Baltimore Ravens’ practice roster and was released by the Ravens in 2011 during training camp. Last year, Steele did not play football.

Signed by the Argos on May 2, he rushed 13 times for 125 yards in the Argos’ two pre-season games.

So, when he steps on to the field at the Rogers Centre against the Lions defence, it won’t all be completely brand new.

“I got a taste of it in pre-season and I like what this league has to offer,” Steele, a healthy scratch for each of the Argos’ first four regular-season games, said. “I found it to be a very fast game. The field is really wide and you have to use that to your advantage as a running back.”

The hope from the Argos’ end is that Steele brings a bit of a jolt to the ground game. Kackert, through four weeks, was not able to build off most-valuable-player honours in the Grey Cup game, carrying the football 36 times for 189 yards.

It’s partly because quarterback Ricky Ray has been so effective in passing the ball — though Ray’s status for Tuesday is not clear — but the Argos have gained just 291 rushing yards, sixth in the eight-team league.

On offence, a little more balance wouldn’t hurt.

“The most important thing for me is fully locking in, to focus on fundamentals,” the 5-foot-11, 206-pound Steele said. The game will come easier to you if you keep everything simple.

“Just because it’s your opportunity, your time has been called, there is no need for you to panic and do things you normally don’t do.”

With 11 days between games, time is on Steele’s side. But he won’t necessarily be doing extra work, as he has had his head buried in the playbook for the past month anyway.

“You have to know you can come in at any given moment,” Steele said. “I’ve been studying prior to (Kackert’s injury) like I was actually playing.

“It sucks seeing him go down, but it comes with the sport of football.”

Fact is, Tuesday can’t come soon enough for Steele.

“Protecting the quarterback, ball security, no turnovers, and everything else will fall into place,” Steele said. “The time is now. It’s what I’ve been waiting on.”

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Argos' man of Steele eager for big chance

The text that had Curtis Steele’s smartphone buzzing late last Friday night was succinct.

“It’s your time to carry the load,” the short message said.

The sender was Chad Kackert, the Argonauts’ No. 1 running back. Kackert had just suffered a right knee injury in the Argos’ road victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and had an idea it would keep him out off the roster for a considerable amount of time.

That was confirmed this week when the Argos placed Kackert on the one-game injured list, though head coach Scott Milanovich said that the injury could keep him on the sidelines for up to six weeks.

“It felt really good, man,” Steele, who didn’t make the trip to Winnipeg, said of Kackert’s text.

“Sometimes, in an organization, you don’t have that relationship between running backs, a good friendship. But Kack, since Day 1 when I got here, has been a really good guy toward me. He has given me a lot of tips and pointers.